Oil Kings' Keegan Lowe also looking for World Juniors place

Edmonton Oil Kings defenseman Keegan Lowe (left) shaves off forward Travis Ewanyk's mustache in preparation for Movember in Edmonton, Alberta on Tuesday October 30, 2012. The fundraiser raises awareness and donations in the fight against cancers affecting men. Men grow mustaches for Movember, which runs during the month of November. TWITTER

VICTORIA — It wasn’t easy for Keegan Lowe to sit in the press box and watch Game 5 of the Subway Super Series.

But the Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman got his chance to go up against Russia in the series finale on Thursday.

Lowe, 19, was one of a number of changes to the Team WHL lineup and started the game alongside his regular Oil King defensive partner Griffin Reinhart.

“It was probably a good thing for me to be able to watch and see some of their tendencies,” said Lowe, prior to Thursday’s game. “It was good to see what it’s like, because really, you’re coming in blind, you maybe get to see them a little on TV.”

The third-round pick — 73rd overall — of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2011, Lowe was hoping a solid performance in Thursday’s game would put him in good standing when it came to earning an invite to Canada World Junior camp in December.

“I’m excited, I’m going to try and take advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “I just want to go out there and just try to play my game and not try to do anything different then I would normally do.

“Anytime you get to play, essentially for your country in something like this, it’s a great honour to be selected and you just try to make the most of it.”

With Hockey Canada expected to release their list of camp invites on Dec. 3, the series against the core of Russia’s World Junior entry was one of the last opportunities for Canadian players to impress.

“Obviously getting an invite to camp is in the back of your mind,” Lowe said. “But once you get out on the ice, you’re just focusing on the task at hand, trying to shut those guys down and hopefully come away with the win.”